They lay together in the dark room, the blue light from the alarm clock making their most prominent facial features clear. The comforter was bundled up around them as they held each other in the night. Neither of them could sleep, not after what they've done, or still might do. Kristin found Idina's hand and took it in her own.
She stuttered, "…That was amazing." She looked down. She had wanted to ask Idina what this meant, what they meant, but she couldn't muster up the courage.
"Yeah," Idina paused, "I love you." Kristin giggled and scooted closer to kiss Idina.
"Love you, too. Always."
The unlikely couple lay in silence, reminiscing on the events of the evening. Idina's face was still flushed. Kristin broke the silence again. "You know…." She trailed off.
"What is it? What were you going to say?" Idina inquired, propping herself up on one hand.
Kristin sat upright in bed. She felt the need to be on the same level as Idina. "It's just…" Idina looked at her, raising her eyebrows to urge her to continue. "It's just…" she sighed, "I really love you and…I was wondering if maybe we could make it work."
Idina's forehead knotted in confusion. "Make what work?"
Kristin gestured with her hands, "You know…us. This. I want us to be together. In a real relationship."
"I thought we were…" Idina started. "It seems pretty real to me. I mean, I told you I loved you, didn't I?"
Kristin was getting frustrated. "Yeah, but, I want us to go out together. I want us to do things that real couples do. Enough of this secretive shit. I've waited 3 ½ years just to have sex with you. You haven't even told your husband about us!"
"Oh no, Kristin, you know I can't tell Taye. He'd be devastated."
Her emotions were taking over. "You want to know what's devastating? Seeing the woman I love with her goddamn husband, telling him that she loves him when I know she loves me!" She let out a dry sob and clenched the fabric on her pillow, willing herself not to cry.
The pain Kristin saw in Idina's eyes shot right to her heart.
"But I still love him."
A single tear rolled down Kristin's cheek, catching the blue light of the alarm clock and making it look like her face was glowing. She tore the pillow from its spot and held it tightly against her chest.
Idina saw what she had done. "No, Kristin! It doesn't mean that I don't love you…I just…I can't leave him. I can't."
She took a deep breath and tried to collect herself as best she could. "Well, what do you propose we do about this then?" Kristin had made her decision. "I don't want to make you do this, but you have to choose. Me… or him."
Idina pulled away, a mixture of shock and misery reflected in her watery eyes. "No Kristin, don't. Please don't make me do this. Please, I'm begging you."
Kristin held her ground. "I'm sorry. I can't be in this discreet relationship anymore. I need to know. "
There were tears in her eyes. She took Kristin's hand, "Kristin please, please don't make me do this! I-I love you, both of you, so much!"
"Who is it?"
Idina paused and pulled away from Kristin once again, her eyes wordlessly expressing what she dared not say.
Kristin let her hand slide out of Idina's. "I see. I wish you and Taye the best, I really do." As she was saying this, she realized she meant it. She truly wanted Idina to be happy.
Idina didn't respond, instead shaking her head, letting her tears fall on to the blanket where they expanded and stayed, instead of drying up, as if by magic.
Kristin pinched the fabric of the comforter in her fingers and fiddled with it, looking down. "I hope we can still be good friends. I would hate it if this came between us."
Idina let out a broken laugh and touched Kristin's cheek, wiping away the tears. "Best friends." She smiled, the skin around her eyes crinkling up.
Kristin laughed at the reference, remembering the memories they had made together. The best years of her life. "This isn't goodbye, but could I have one last kiss?"
With her hand still holding Kristin's cheek, she pulled her towards her and kissed her softly for the last time. They pulled apart and Idina granted Kristin a melancholy smile and slipped out of bed. She pulled her dress over her head and collected her things and walked ambled out of the room. At the door she said, "Kristin?" Kristin slid out of bed, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, and glided to the bedroom door. "Yeah?"
"I just wanted you to know that you've changed me for good. You'll always be my Glinda."